Maoist Violence Seeks To Destabilise Elected State Govt

AS we go to press, the anti-Communist incendiary violence unleashed by the Maoists continues unabated in Lalgarh, West Midnapore district of West Bengal. During the last three days, 15 CPI(M) leaders have been murdered by the Maoists. Many of the CPI(M) offices were burnt and ransacked. In all these violent activities, the Maoists have been using the helpless tribals, having terrorised them, as their front.

By now it has been established that the so-called `rainbow' coalition of all anti-Communist forces led by the Trinamool Congress had sheltered all sorts of elements and legitimised Maoist activities in West Bengal. The earlier violence unleashed by this anti-Communist alliance in Singur and Nandigram helped the Maoists to entrench themselves. However, unlike in Nandigram, where the Maoists were operating behind the Trinamool banner, now in Lalgarh, it is the Trinamool Congress that is openly aiding and abetting the Maoists to unleash such violence.

The Maoists are operating under the banner of the Police Atyachar Birodhi Janagana Committee (PABJC). This is led by one Chhatradhar Mahato who until recently was in Trinamool Congress. He is the brother of Sashobhar Mahato, the prime accused in last November's plot to assassinate chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya who was then travelling with the then union minister, Ram Vilas Paswan. The landmine blasts designed to achieve this objective exploded in nearby Salboni, 40 kilometers away from Lalgarh.

All through Tuesday, June 16, when the Maoists unleashed such violence that culminated in the burning of the CPI(M) office, the local Trinamool Congress leaders accompanied the mob. Media reports the leader saying, “It is the Communists vs all others now”. Though the district Congress president was not physically present, he had to send his relatives saying “that was the diktat from the organisers”.

Media reports that the Maoists have prevented the family members from even taking the deadbodies for a decent funeral. There are also reports that the entire area has been rigged with landmines to prevent the security forces and the police from reaching them. Clearly, like they did in Nandigram for nearly a year, they wish to keep the Lalgarh region out of the ambit of any civic administration. Thus, they seek to create a “liberated zone” to further their activities by terrorising the local population into submission. The modus operandi is similar to what the Trinamool Congress has done last week in Khejuri. The aim is to establish their political base by eliminating the CPI(M) cadre physically and terrorise the rest of the population. Such a supremely anti-democratic and fascistic modus operandi of the Trinamool Congress led combine has facilitated the penetration of the Maoists in the area.

The prime minister is on record, saying: “Maoist violence is the single biggest danger for internal security in our country”. The Maoists themselves have publicly stated in mainstream media at the time of the Nandigram disturbances, “The Maoists stepped into Nandigram in January 2007 and quickly put together a party unit. They rustled up a 350 strong people's militia and fought.” Further, “The ammunition was mostly supplied by local Trinamool leaders.”

For the past few years, the Maoists had been accumulating arms through various raids on ordinance factories and police outposts. The Defence Quarterly, a respected defence journal, says in early 2007: “As recent as in October 2006, the Indian army recovered a massive cache of state manufactured arms and ammunition in the eastern state of Kolkata. Three people including a soldier were arrested in (this) connection”. In an October 3, 2006 BBC report, an army spokesman said: “The cache of arms was meant for Maoist rebels and other terrorist groups active in and around eastern West Bengal state”.

At the time of the Nandigram disturbances, a Maoist leader had mocked at the Trinamool Congress saying: “They think they are the leaders, they are not; but we are the ones who are actually controlling”. On this occasion in Lalgarh, it is openly acknowledged that the violence is unleashed by the Maoists and the Trinamool Congress and the others are following their `leader'. Clearly, the objective here is to destabilise the elected state government through Maoist violence.

It is a gross abuse of Indian parliamentary democracy that those who have taken oath under the constitution to serve as ministers in the central government are, themselves, leading and participating in the most unconstitutional and illegal orgy of violence resulting in large-scale loss of human life and destruction of property. The Congress party heading the central government far from being uncomfortable is an accomplice in this gross violation of the Indian constitution.

Such a state of anarchy and designed unleashing of violence cannot be tolerated in any civil society. The West Bengal state government has asked for central assistance in dealing with this situation. The central and state governments must urgently act in unison, in the interests of the country and its constitutional scheme of things, to immediately restore normalcy in both East and West Midnapore districts of West Bengal and reestablish the rule of law and civic administration.

(Editorial : People's Democracy)

CPI(M) Central Committee on the Lok Sabha Election Results

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) met in Delhi on June 20 & 21, 2009. It has issued the following statement:

Election Review

The Central Committee conducted a comprehensive review of the results of the Lok Sabha election. It also made an in-depth study of the Party's performance.

Among the factors responsible for the success of the Congress is that it could utilise the people's concern for a stable secular government at the Centre. The rejection by the people of the BJP's divisive brand of communal politics and Hindutva benefited the Congress.

The support that the Left parties had extended to the UPA for four years also contributed to providing legitimacy and credibility to the Congress-led government. The UPA government had pursued neo-liberal policies which have heightened inequalities and failed to tackle the agrarian crisis, price rise and unemployment. Despite this, some of the measures taken such as the NREGA, farmers loan waiver scheme, the Forest Tribal Rights Act and the increased minimum support price for foodgrains and other crops helped to mitigate some of the effects of these policies and had a positive impact. Some of these steps were adopted due to the Left's pressure.

The spate of terrorist violence culminating in the Mumbai terrorist attack in November 2008 heightened the people's concern for unity and the popular mood was against the BJP's communal platform which sought to divide the people.

The Congress also benefited from the consolidated support it received from the big business of the country who registered enormous gains during the five year rule of the UPA.

Defeat of BJP

The BJP's defeat is significant because it has failed for the second successive time to win the elections. The main reason for this failure is because the people have rejected its communal platform which was highlighted by the virulent hate speeches of Varun Gandhi and similar
propaganda by less prominent figures. The image of a hardcore Hindutva party was heightened by the projection of Narendra Modi as the future leader of the party. The record of the BJP as the opposition party which mainly concentrated on disrupting parliament and not taking up the main issues affecting the people such as the agrarian crisis, price rise and unemployment led to loss of support for the party.

The Central Committee noted that the emergence of the non-Congress, non-BJP combination which included the Left parties contributed to the defeat of the BJP which was unable to get any worthwhile allies in states like Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Orissa.

Withdrawal of Support to UPA Government

The Central Committee was of the firm opinion that the withdrawal of the support to the UPA government on the nuclear deal in July 2008 was correct. This was consistent with the Left's stand against forging of a strategic alliance with the United States.

Non-Congress, Non-BJP Alternative

The Central Committee of the CPI(M) had called for the formation of a non-Congress, non-BJP alternative as against the Congress-led alliance and the BJP-led alliance. This was a correct tactic. These efforts resulted in the electoral understanding forged by some regional and Left
parties in Andhra Pradesh, Tamilnadu, Orissa and Karnataka. However, such an electoral understanding could not be extended beyond these four states and the three Left-led states of West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura. It failed to be a viable and credible alternative at the national level.

Critically reviewing these efforts, the Central Committee felt that it should not have extended the call for building such an alternative to the formation of an alternative government. In the absence of a countrywide alliance and no common policy platform being presented, the call for an alternative government was unrealistic.

The Central Committee reiterated that it will continue to strive to build the third alternative. Till then, whenever required the Party will forge electoral understanding and alliances with like-minded non-Congress secular parties.

CPI(M) Performance

The Party has suffered serious reverses in the Lok Sabha elections. It has won only 16 seats. Nine seats in West Bengal, four in Kerala, two in Tripura and one in Tamilnadu. The Party has got 5.33 per cent of the vote, which is only marginally less compared to the 5.66 per cent it
polled in 2004. While expressing concern about the erosion in the Party's support base in West Bengal and Kerala, the Central Committee also noted that the Left Front in West Bengal polled around 1.85 crore votes and in Kerala the LDF has polled 67.17 lakh vote. Though there is
some erosion, the main base of the Party is intact by and large in these two states.

Review of Party's Performance

The Central Committee conducted an in-depth review of the performance of the Party based on the review reports received from the states. The Party has registered a good victory in Tripura winning both the seats with the Left Front polling 61.69 per cent of the votes.

Apart from the all India factors, the specific situation in the states of West Bengal and Kerala where serious losses took place were also reviewed.

In West Bengal, the review noted the political, governmental and organisational reasons for the setbacks suffered by the CPI(M) and the Left Front. The review noted that there is some erosion of support among the rural and urban poor and sections of the middle classes. There are
shortcomings in the functioning of government, panchayats and municipalities based on a proper class outlook. This is due to the failure of the government to implement properly various measures directly concerning the lives of the people. The apprehension about land
acquisition has contributed to the alienation amongst some sections of the peasantry.

At the organisational level certain wrong trends and practices have adversely affected relations with the people. The Central Committee endorsed the steps proposed by the state committee to take corrective measures at the organisational and governmental level.

In Kerala, the factors responsible for the poor performance were also analysed. The disunity in the LDF and the Party leadership had an adverse impact on the people; the churches played an active role in mobilising Christian votes against the LDF; the association with the PDP
caused confusion among the people. The UDF and media campaign on the SNC Lavalin case also had its impact. Certain wrong trends within the Party organisation have also had a negative impact.

The Polit Bureau decided to have a meeting of the Polit Bureau on July 4 and 5, 2009 to discuss specifically the organisational matters in Kerala.

The Central Committee reviewed the overall performance of the Party in the rest of the country. It noted the organisational weaknesses in expanding the independent work of the Party, conducting sustained struggles on local issues and the building of the mass organisations. It
directed the state units to implement the tasks arising out of the reviews conducted in the states regarding these matters.

The Central Committee expressed confidence that the entire Party would draw lessons from this electoral setback. It will identify the shortcomings in carrying out the political line of the Party and take steps to rectify the weaknesses in the organisation. The Central Committee affirmed that immediate steps would be taken in states like West Bengal and Kerala to reforge the links with those sections of the people who have been alienated from the Party for various reasons. The
state governments will also take necessary steps to implement measures which are expected of it by the people.

Relations with Parties

The Party will work to strengthen Left unity and maintain relations and cooperation with secular opposition parties on people's issues, for pro-people economic policies and in defence of secularism and an independent foreign policy.

On The UPA Government

The Central Committee reiterated the stand already outlined by the Left parties that they will play the role of a Left opposition in parliament. The Central Government should take immediate steps to provide relief to the millions who have lost jobs due to the adverse impact of the global
economic crisis. Measures should be taken to see that because of the crisis common people are not burdened further. Though the rate of inflation is shown to be negative, the prices of essential commodities continue to be high. The government must take steps to curb price rise. The Government has to take steps to devolve adequate resources and funds to the state governments who have to primarily bear the responsibility for tackling the effects of the economic slow down and pursue developmental and welfare measures.

The CPI(M) will vigorously oppose all such measures in parliament and outside which seek to push through legislations for increasing foreign capital in the banking and insurance sector and financial sector liberalisation. The Party will continue to oppose disinvestment of the profit making public sector units, FDI in retail and higher education and such sectors which are not beneficial for the country. It will press for the adoption of the women's reservation Bill.

Protest Attacks in West Bengal

The Central Committee has issued an appeal to all its Party units and other Left and democratic forces to protest against the widespread attacks on Party workers, offices and supporters in West Bengal by the Trinamul-Congress combine and the Maoists. The Party will conduct a
campaign all over the country in solidarity with West Bengal and in defence of democracy.